“Just Say NOvember; Batten Down the Hatches 2016”.

Bobarella

Thanks fmess just done two lunches so pushing £10 now

dolly84

Bob - hope people start flocking in.

mothernerd

No money spent. Lots of sewing using up odd bits of thread and tiny scraps of fabric - hoping to pass all the finished articles on to other people.

Today I am grateful for good entertainment, for popcorn and for making (slightly strange) meals with what I have (ready curry from the freezer with 5 on the verge of slimy mushrooms broken into pieces and a small baked potato from the back of the fridge). Not thrilling but adequate and warming.

misstara

A spendy day today - bought a couple of presents, went a rummage round the charity shops (bought 2 jumpers, a top and a hoodie), bought toothpaste and toothbrush heads plus went a supermarket shop.

I went for a run this morning and watched the rugby this afternoon. Me and OH went for a wander round the christmas market earlier, didn't buy anything but have agreed to go back closer to christmas.

We're having beef stew for tea which has been in the slow cooker all day and plan for this evening is to curl up on the sofa and find a good film to watch.

Toni'sfriend

Had a bit of a spendy day today. Really needed (rather than wanted) some warmer winter clothing so bought a couple of jumpers and warn jammies. Haven't bought anything for myself for ages.

Had sausages for dinner and C made a lovely mustard mass. First proper meal we've had in days and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hope you're all well and warm.

Seasidegal58

Bob - hope your takings picked up.

After yesterday's splurge I can report a NSD today! Didn't have to go out at all earlier and waited in for my monthly Tesco delivery.

Am off out now to visit a friend (she lives in walking distance). Taking bottle of wine which I already had in the fridge!

Bobarella

Toni's Friend new PJs sounds like a nice treat.

Misstara enjoy your beef

Well today was a real waste of time. Was at work by 8.30 getting everything ready and left at 6. I took a sum total of £80, which after my costs actually means I took £20.
I needed to be taking around £200 after cost for the weekend. So unless I miraculous manage a big day tommorow I will have to take it out of the eBay money. Which is very frustrating. It comes to something doesn't it when your idea of a treat for yourself is paying off your credit card. Pretty fed up to be honest.

It was lovely to come home to the kids I have to say. No matter how bad the day I know I am blessed with my beautiful family.

nannygladys

Hi everyone

I'm back in the land of my usual, life after a really nice six days away. I'm up to 12/13 sfd as far as I can remember so I hope to gather a few more before the end of the month.

Sorry you had an unproductive day Bob, and I hope tomorrow goes better for you.

Back to reality now, so I must look what I have in the fridge and cupboards to make a bit of a meal plan and then work my Dec budget out as I was paid whilst I was away.

I will read through the back posts but it may take a time as it sure moves quick on here!!!

Missed you all
Nannyg

XSpender

Hope you have a better day tomorrow Bob

Busy day today so DH took DS to his game while I ran around doing the food shop and getting bits and pieces for the work on the house! We then went to buy the Christmas tree. It is the biggest tree we have ever bought at 7ft tall and is a beautiful specimen. We don't normally buy a real one and use a skinny artificial one but now I know why I bought a house with old fashioned bay windows this year

We have spent a lot, the food budget is blown and the CC has taken a bashing. :o:o

The food spending is going in the right direction, but not quick or fast enough and our budget for Christmas this year is a lot less than previous years.

We have some work to complete in the house this month and then everything will need to stop while we regroup and get into debt repayment mode for 2017.

DH has had a couple of great ideas this last week (he asked if I was going to write it on the forum so I better had :rotfl:)

The first is that we dedicate Sundays to family time at home (after DS rugby) which I am 100% up for as I end up run ragged and stressed out on a Sunday and then Monday turns up and I am not prepared for it.

The second is that instead of spending money on the house we should spend time. We have a sander, a big tin of gloss and a huge amount of woodwork that needs painting which should keep us busy for a while as a start. The plan is to write a snagging list for each room and work our way through it bit by bit. I am thinking a big sheet of paper and a game of Fix it Up Bingo with squares to mark off and of course a spread in my bullet journal!:)

I am so looking forward to our day tomorrow; breakfast, hours dog walk in the woods, hot chocolate with marshmallows, polar express on in the background while we dress the trees and a lovely roast pork dinner before we get ready for the week ahead.

greent

Bob - really hope you have a better day today x

XSpender - I love the Sunday family time idea. In theory we have 2 Sundays a month on that with games, dvds etc - doesn't always work though here - we need to be more disciplined! We have a spreadsheet of jobs for the house on a room by room basis which includes tiny things such as paint touching up, new lightswitch (and had a lot of light bulb changing on it at the beginning of this year!), shopping (new curtains/ blind etc) and bigger jobs (we had the new windows and doors on it) with timescales of how long it might take (so we could choose a job which would only take a couple of hours maximum or a longer job) and timescale of when we'd like it achieved. It's revisited every end of Dec/ early Jan (over the Xmas hols, essentially) - we walk around the house with a heading for every room and the garden and garage and list everything we'd like to do

Friday was meant to be NSD but I was out so OH bought him and the kids takeaways.... really no need as there was plenty of food in, but that's his usual thing to do if I'm out as it's the 'easy' option - grrr!!

Yesterday we did a trip to Sains - I had a £9 off £60 voucher which ran out then, so we may as well have done there instead of Tesc0 - total before voucher was £60.37 - so I was very pleased! 3 items were more than the prices at Tesc0 - but the price difference for those 3 was £1.11 - so still worth it. OH also spent on some DIY materials for boarding small loft to put things in from garage loft (mice!) and some insulating boards for in between the rafters.

Made a huge batch of braised red cabbage yesterday evening ready for Xmas - will freeze it in a mo (left it in fridge overnight) and also give some to my mum later today for her Xmas - there's loads. Will look to make bread sauce in the next week or so and freeze too - just makes it smoother on Xmas day and both items are totally fine having been frozen

Hoping for a NSD today - we'll see....